2026 Voices Heard Film: Stay

Stay by Aden Gonzalez
Wisconsin (Milwaukee Premiere)

Running Time: 14 minutes

Drama

September 

Avalon Atmospheric Theater

2473 S Kinnickinnic Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53207

STAY is a short narrative film about love, family, and resilience within a Mexican household facing an unspoken threat. Through intimate moments and rising tension, the film captures the emotional reality of living between hope and fear, where home is both a sanctuary and a fragile promise.

Inspired by real events.

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Directors Bio:

Aden Gonzalez is a Mexican American filmmaker, writer, and director based in the Midwest. Born in Illinois to a father from Texas and a mother from Mexico, Aden spent a small part of his childhood in Mexico, an experience that deeply shaped his perspective on family, identity, and belonging. His work centers on intimate, character-driven stories that explore love, resilience, and the emotional realities of families.

STAY marks his directorial debut, reflecting his commitment to telling honest stories rooted in lived experience and cultural truth.

Director's Statement:

STAY was born from a deep desire to honor the beauty of family while confronting the fear and uncertainty that many immigrant families live with every day. This story is not about politics, it's about people. It's about love that exists in quiet moments, in kitchens, in bedrooms, and in the spaces where families feel safest.

Growing up between cultures, I witness how easily a sense of home can feel fragile. I wanted this film to live in that tension between warmth and fear, hope and loss, without sensationalizing it. My goal was to create something human, something real world, allowing the audience to connect and sit with the characters rather than observe from a distance.

STAY reminds us that love and hope persist, even when everything else feels uncertain.